Petunia plant named ‘Petpuvivi’

ABSTRACT

A new  Petunia  plant particularly distinguished by its trailing, outwardly spreading and mounded plant habit, freely branching habit, freely flowering habit, single flowers that are purple-blue in color, and good garden performance.

Latin name of the genus and species of the plant claimed: Petuniahybrida.

Varietal denomination: ‘Petpuvivi’.

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Petuniaplant botanically known as Petunia hybrida and referred to by thecultivar name ‘Petpuvivi.’

The new Petunia is the product of a planned breeding program conductedby the inventor in Enkhuizen, Netherlands. The new Petunia cultivar isfreely flowering with trailing and spreading plant habit and attractiveleaf and flower coloration.

The new Petunia originated from a cross-pollination made by the inventorin July 2001 of a proprietary selection of Petunia hybrida identified ascode number ‘B1571,’ not patented, as the female, or seed parent, withthe Petunia hybrida variety ‘Petgrabl’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 17,218), asthe male, or pollen parent. The new Petunia was selected as a singleplant from the resulting progeny of the cross-pollination in acontrolled environment in Enkhuizen, Netherlands in May 2002.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal vegetative cuttingssince August 2002, in Enkhuizen, Netherlands has shown that the uniquefeatures of this new Petunia are stable and reproduced true to type insuccessive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the cultivar ‘Petpuvivi’ have not been observed under allpossible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature, light intensity anddaylength without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Petpuvivi.’ These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Petpuvivi’ as a new and distinct cultivar:

-   -   1. Trailing, outwardly spreading and mounded plant habit    -   2. Freely branching habit    -   3. Freely flowering habit    -   4. Single flowers that are purple-blue    -   5. Good garden performance.

In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Enkhuizen, Netherlands, plantsof the new Petunia differed from plants of the female parent selectionin the following characteristic:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Petunia are slightly mounded whereas plants        of the female parent selection are very flat and trailing.

In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Enkhuizen, Netherlands, plantsof the new Petunia differed from plants of the male parent selection inthe following characteristic:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Petunia have large size flowers whereas        flowers of the male parent selection are smaller.

TABLE 1 DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE NEW CULTIVAR ‘PETPUVIVI’ AND A SIMILARCULTIVAR Surfinia Blue ‘Sunblu’ ‘Petpuvivi’ (Not patented) Flower colorDeeper blue N89A Less deep blue 83B Earliness of flowering Earlier Later

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearanceof the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Petunia.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW CULTIVAR

The observations and measurements describe plants grown in Enkhuizen,The Netherlands, practice circumstances outdoor in window boxes duringthe Summer with day temperatures ranging from 14 to 30° C., nighttemperatures ranging from 10 to 20° C. Plants used for the photographsand description were about 10 weeks from planting rooted cuttings.

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   The plant:    -   -   Classification.—Botanical: Petunia hybrida.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female parent.—Proprietary selection of Petunia hybrida            identified as code number ‘B1571,’ not patented.        -   Male parent.—Petunia hybrida variety ‘Petgrabl,’ U.S. Plant            Pat. No. 17,218.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots.—Summer and Winter: About 12 days at            20° C.        -   Time to develop roots, summer.—About 21 days at 20° C.        -   Time to develop roots, winter.—About 28 days at 16° C.        -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous, white in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching.-   Plant description:    -   -   Form.—Annual flowering plant; indeterminate; initially            upright, then trailing and outwardly spreading; uniformly            mounded plant form. Freely branching habit; about six to            either basal branches each with about six to eight lateral            branches. Pinching enhances development of lateral branches.        -   Usage.—Appropriate for hanging baskets, window boxes, patio            containers, and landscape applications.        -   Plant height.—About 17 cm.        -   Plant diameter (area of spread).—About 85 cm.        -   Vigour.—Vigorous; rapid growth rate.        -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 40 cm. Diameter: About            2.5 mm. Internode length: About 4-5 cm. Texture: Pubescent.            Color: N187A (with some anthocyanin).        -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate before            flowering; opposite after flowers develop; simple. Length:            About 3.7 cm. Width: About 2.4 cm. Shape: Elliptic. Apex:            Broadly acute. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Texture,            upper and lower surfaces: Sparsely pubescent; glandular.            Venation pattern: Pinnate. Color Developing and fully            expanded leaves, upper surface: 137B. Developing and fully            expanded leaves, lower surface: 146B. Venation, lower            surface: N144A. Petiole length: About 6 mm. Petiole            diameter: About 3 mm. Petiole color, upper and lower            surfaces: 144B. Petiole texture: Sparsely pubescent.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower type and habit.—Single salver form flowers; flowers            face mostly outward; axillary. Freely flowering habit, about            four open flowers and about two flower buds per lateral            branch at a time.        -   Natural flowering season.—Long day responsive; long            flowering period, spring until frost in the autumn;            flowering continuous during this period. Plants start            flowering about eight weeks after planting rooted cuttings.            Flowers persistent.        -   Flower longevity on the plant.—About seven to ten days.        -   Fragrance.—Faint, sweet.        -   Flower size.—Diameter: About 5.5 cm. Tube length: About            3.5 cm. Throat diameter, distal end: About 8 mm. Tube            diameter, proximal end: About 3 mm.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 3.5 cm. Diameter: About 5 mm.            Shape: Elongated oblong with ruffled apices. Color, basal            part: N92A.        -   Petals.—Quantity/arrangement: About five petals fused in a            single whorl, funnel form. Length from throat: About 2.5 cm.            Width: About 2.5 cm. Shape: Roughly fan-shaped. Apex: Acute.            Margin: Entire, undulate. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:            Smooth, velvety. Color When opening, upper surface: N92C,            venation N92C. When opening, lower surface: 86A, venation            N92A. Fully opened, upper surface: N89A, venation N92B.            Fully opened, lower surface: N88A, venation N92A. Flower            throat (inside): N186A. Flower tube (outside): N92A.            Venation, throat N186A. Venation tube: N92A.        -   Sepals.—Arrangement/appearance: Single whorl of five petals            fused at base, star-shaped. Length: About 1.4 cm. Width:            About 2.5 mm. Shape: Ligulate. Apex: Rounded. Margin:            Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color,            upper surface: 146B. Color, lower surface: 146C.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 1.5 cm. Width: About 1.5 mm. Angle:            About 70° from the stem. Strength: Strong. Texture:            Pubescent. Color: 146D with some anthocyanin.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens, quantity per flower: About            five. Anther shape: Ovoid. Anther size: About 2 mm by 2 mm.            Anther color: 91B. Pollen amount: Much. Pollen color: 97C.            Pistils, quantity per flower: One. Pistil length: About            2.8 cm. Style length: About 2.6 cm. Style color: 177B.            Stigma shape: Anvil-shaped. Stigma color: N186A. Ovary            color: N144D.-   Seed development: Seed development has not been observed to date.-   Disease and pest resistance: Plants of the new Petunia have not been    noted to be resistant to pathogens or pests common to Petunia.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Petunia have been observed to    have good garden performance. Plants of the new Petunia have been    noted to tolerate rain, wind, and temperatures from 0 to 30° C.

1. A new and distinct variety of Petunia plant, substantially asillustrated and described herein.